Leadership Skills Must Be Valued Above Leadership Tendencies
One of the reasons I wrote my first book, Success With People, is because of the realization that I had leadership tendencies rather than true leadership skills.
Years ago, I was speaking with a coworker about a particular manager. The coworker commented that the manager really felt he was a leader. Upon further consideration, however, it became clear the manager was more of a competitor than a leader. They would jostle for position, argue without considering other people’s opinions, and fostered a negative environment within their team.
Just because someone likes to compete and have things their way does not mean they are an effective leader. Quite the contrary, competitors are often some of the worst leaders.
Chimpanzees and Leadership
A basic example of this can be seen from Jane Goodall’s research and observation of chimpanzees. Every group of chimpanzees has a social hierarchy, much like a business. At the top of the group is the alpha-male, who has climbed the ladder of the social hierarchy through one of two ways: Collaborative leadership or dominant leadership (there are also alpha-females, but I’m going to reference examples of alpha-males in this post for simplicity).
Collaborative leaders tend to foster strong alliances with other chimpanzees by making friends and engaging in positive behavior that encourages social cohesion. They provide healthy boundaries, protect the weak, and encourage the strong. These collaborative leaders are not always the biggest and the strongest chimpanzees - they don’t have to be. They use their personal skills to coalitions and develop relationships with everyone in their group, including other males who will then rush to the aid of the alpha-male when he is in need.
In contrast, dominant alpha-male chimpanzees see the social hierarchy from a purely competitive worldview. They rely heavily on aggression and brute strength to command obedience and bend others to their will. Yes, they enjoy the perks of being at the top, but they lead through fear and generate far less loyalty. In fact, a brutish, competitive chimpanzee is often less likely to become the alpha-male because they lack the skills necessary to earn the respect and admiration of their peers.
How to Succeed as a Leader (hint: Develop your skills!)
So how do you move from being a person who is competitive with leadership tendencies to one of skill and top performance? Develop a growth mindset and focus on continuous improvement.
Here are some steps that may help:
Develop self-awareness: Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your natural tendencies, can help you identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to enhance your performance. A lot of our clients utilize our talent assessments when they are hiring new employees, but we highly recommend leaders take the assessments also to learn how they can work best.
Set clear goals: Identify specific goals that you want to achieve and develop a plan for achieving them. Break down the goals into smaller, achievable steps, and track your progress along the way.
Seek feedback: Feedback from colleagues, mentors, and supervisors can help you identify areas where you need to improve and provide guidance on how to do so.
Practice self-reflection: Take time to reflect on your experiences and identify what worked well and what could be improved. Use this information to make adjustments and refine your approach.
Learn from others: Seek out role models and mentors who have demonstrated top performance and learn from their experiences and best practices. A business coach or consultant can be a priceless resource.
Embrace challenges: Be willing to take on new challenges and stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone. This can help you build new skills and capabilities.
Continuously learn: Make learning a priority and seek out opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge. Consider attending training sessions, reading industry publications, or pursuing additional education.
By adopting these strategies, you can develop the skills and top performance needed to succeed as a leader.
